There are many prior devices that have been developed for golfers to practice to improve their swing. One type suspends a golf ball-sized object from the end of a cord in a position for being struck by the head of a golf club being swung by a golfer. Such devices allow a golfer to practice his swing and improve the technique and path of a swing in a confined space instead of having to use a driving range. However, the object being struck is a golf ball or the size of a golf ball and, therefore, provides little muscle-building resistance.
In my prior application, Ser. No. 09/444,120, an object is suspended by a rope from a frame arm or tethered to a rope anchored in the ground in position for being struck by the head of a golf club being swung by a golfer. The object has an impact surface approaching the size of or greater than the corresponding surface of a standard softball and has a mass approaching that of or exceeding that of a standard softball. This device provides for practicing the technique of the golf swing, as well as providing muscle development to enhance the striking force exerted by the golfer when striking a golf ball. However, the object is restricted by the rope so that the distance traveled by the object is extremely limited, thereby preventing the golfer from observing the ball in flight to determine the correctness of his swing.
Another type of practice device is a relatively large bag known as an Impact Bag that is intended to be filled with soft material, such as towels, and is placed against a stationary object that prevents displacement of the bag. Such a device is intended to stop a practice swing at the point of impact so that the golfer can evaluate the club's and his body's positions at impact. It does not allow the golfer to complete the follow-through of a golf swing and to perform a muscle building exercise by overcoming the resistance of a weight as the club moves through impact into the follow-through.
Yet another type of practice device, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,447, uses a contact engaging textile material pad adhered to a conventional golf club face in combination with a similarly covered ball sized similarly to a standard golf ball. The pad is marked with lines. When the golf club is swung and contacts the ball, the ball releasably adheres to the club face and the golfer can see by the lines marked on the pad the possible travel of the ball, thus determining the correctness of the swing. This device does not offer any muscle building exercises. Furthermore, this device does not allow the golfer to have visual confirmation of the travel of the ball, the markings on the pad provide an approximation of the travel of the struck golf ball.
In contrast, the present invention provides a combination of practicing techniques for controlling the direction of flight of the golf ball as well as building the muscles used in swinging a golf club. The present invention allows the golfer to watch the travel path of the practice ball, thereby confirming the consequence of each practice swing. But, the target assembly limits the distance the practice ball travels so a golfer can use the present invention in a confined space if desired. Also, the practice ball is of the size and mass that provides significant resistance to the golf swing, thereby providing the golfer with muscle building exercise to increase the golf swing power.